Hapless family from Kerala stuck in Karachi

Six years ago, Haneef Maranveetil and his wife Aseena came to Karachi from Kannur in Kerala to dispose of some property belonging to his father, who was a Pakistani national. Haneef’s father, who owned a hotel and some houses and was here before Partition, passed way in 1992.

“We thought we could sell some of the assets since we had little money and go back home,” Haneef, 36, told The Hindu on the phone from Karachi. But it wasn’t as simple as that. The property was in the name of his father and it took three years to change the registration in the name of his uncle, who was running the hotel. In between, he lost his passport which was recovered only in 2009 and that too after a long investigation by the federal agencies.

Two years ago, the couple had a son and they cannot return to India unless he gets a passport. Haneef said he has applied for his son’s passport and submitted all relevant documents but there is no word on it from the Indian government. “We have been pursuing the case of registration of birth and grant of an emergency passport to our Karachi-born child Haseeb for several months. The whole case, along with all related documents, is with the Passport and Visa section of the High Commission,” he said in a recent letter to the Indian High Commission here.

On December 11, his wife gave birth to a daughter and they are trying to apply for a passport for her as well.

Deportation notice

Haneef and his family are living in fear as he was served a deportation notice four months ago and can be thrown out of the country. “I don’t know what will happen to my son and daughter if we are sent back,” he rues.

When his wife was pregnant with the second child, he says, he tried to leave Pakistan but since his son’s passport was not ready he had to remain here. Under stress, his wife collapsed and had to undergo an emergency operation on December 11. He says that in his daughter’s case he cannot submit the online application form for issue of an emergency passport because the website is down. Since they have no visa they cannot come to the Indian High Commission’s office in Islamabad and pursue the matter.

B.M. Kutty, Member, Board of Directors, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education (PILER) and Secretary General, Pakistan PeaceCoalition (PPC) has taken up the matter with the authorities in India and Pakistan as well. Mr. Kutty said Haneef had submitted all the related documents to explain why he was living in Karachi for so many years and also paid the prescribed fees. As their Pakistani visas were not valid in Islamabad, they obtained a recommendation from the then Federal Minister Dr. Farooq Sattar to the Pakistan Interior Ministry for special permission to visit Islamabad. As a result, Haneef said he visited Islamabad and submitted relevant documents to the Indian High Commission in February this year.

Haneef says despite all this, his son’s passport has not been issued. Now he needs to apply for his daughter’s passport too. “We are not getting any further extension of our visa and I cannot take my children home,” he says. He is not even interested in selling his father’s property and only wants to return home with his family.

father moved to Kerala before partition. 36 year old son lives in India. Has the Hindu investigated any or all of the facts in thiscase before commiting itself to the side of Hanif, the son in question?

from:
ashokr

Posted on: Dec 28, 2013 at 02:57 IST

Unlike United States of America, we in India damn the common man.
Mr.Haneef Maranveetill does not hold the position of Devayani Khobragade nor the stature to get connected with who is who of MEA.
Unprecedented round the clock control room of M.E.A. burning the midnight oil to save Devayani Khobragade from the legal hurdle.
Elite foreign service officers and our politicians making hue and cry for the discourtesy shown by the U.S. authorities. Who will care for Haneef Maranveetil perhaps Mr. HOPE ( Arvind Khejrival)who is believed and supposed to care for the AAM ADMI.Hindu report of the plight of Indian citizen at Karachi will never get the attention of blind M.E.A.

from:
s.sassi segarane

Posted on: Dec 27, 2013 at 09:00 IST

Not surprised.
The Indian High Commission officials in foreign countries do not have any empathy. You cannot question them or ask one's name. Most are arrogant and behave like a dictator and always tell you that they are awaiting reply from New Delhi. It may be true in some cases but the way they communicate with you is disgusting and rude. I sincerely hope the foreign service gives the staff some training about decent communicating techniques and how to behave with public before they are posted abroad. Ask any Indian what he hates the most. Going to the Indian Embassy would be the first answer.

from:
Chandran

Posted on: Dec 26, 2013 at 23:59 IST

I am sorry for the family but unless you are part of the Indian political establishment, forget about getting any help from the Indian govt. Compare the plight of this family with the ridiculously overboard reaction of the Indian govt to the Devyani Khobragade situation in the US.

from:
Neel

Posted on: Dec 26, 2013 at 22:30 IST

One can feel the situation who has gone all through this.
The Indian HC in Islamabad should quickly resolve the couple and their kids genuine problem.
How sad that their property issue gone linger on, this is the draw back of Pakistan's governance but in any case Indian citizens in Pakistan should not suffer.